An oral irrigator, also referred to as a dental water jet, includes generally a water reservoir supplying water to a pump, which in turn delivers water through a handle member having a tip structure, and into a user's mouth. The tip structure is sized and oriented to allow the user to direct the water stream against the user's teeth or gums as desired. The water stream may be continuous or pulsed. The reservoir of the oral irrigator may be positioned on a counter top, or may be hand held. Examples of such oral irrigators are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,056,710 and 7,147,468 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0008979.
The effectiveness of existing oral irrigators is derived by the disruptive influence of the water stream on the bacteria found in the mouth. The bacteria is dislodged by the water stream and delivered out of the mouth (either swallowed or rinsed out).
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.